A continuation of the secret history of White-hall from the abdication of the late K. James in 1688 to the year 1696 writ at the request of a noble lord ... : the whole consisting of secret memoirs ... : published from the original papers : together with The tragical history of the Stuarts ... / by D. Jones ...

LETTER XII. Of Count de Lauzune's going for Ire∣land, and of some secret designs of the French King against some place in the Netherlands. (Book 12)

My Lord,

WHat I intimated to your Lordship in my last of the Resolutions of this Court, to support the late King's In∣terest in Ireland, doth now daily appear more and more visible by the many men of War, that with utmost diligence are fitted up, and the Troops that dayly defile towards Brest, &c. As to the certain num∣ber either of the one or the other, there

can be nothing gathered from common fame, and therefore having pryed as nar∣rowly as I could into the Cabinet by the means of — I am assured the Landmen will amount at least to the number of Sea∣ven Thousand, and the convoy will hard∣ly be less than Forty men of War, which according to computation may be ready to sail in a fortnights time. But as there is nothing omitted here for keeping up an interest in Ireland, and so to divert the King of Englands Army that way, there is no less care taken to allarm the Confede∣rates on Flanders side, and they talk as if the King had an Eye upon Charleroy or some other of the frontier Towns; I could wish Leige were well looked too, for how∣ever that 'tis given out that the Count de Montal has promised the King to make him Master of Charleroy in twelve days time, with an Army of Ten Thousand strong, provided he can hinder the Con∣federates from relieving it, yet the King's Journey which is whispered will be very sudden and speedy to Campaign, gives no small Umbrage to the other, which upon the whole is of great concern to the Con∣federates. I am also well assured, the Guards of the body have or will shortly have orders to march to the last montioned place, near which are a great number of Troops posted, which can draw together in a very short time, which with my hum∣ble

duty to your Lordship is all I have at this time to communicate, who am

My Lord,

Your Honours to serve and Command whilst

Paris, Feb. 14. 1690. N. S.